Mac Pro Owners Still Waiting for NVIDIA 8800GT Option... Due Next Month?

[MacRumors]

Upon the release on the Penryn-based Mac Pros in January, Apple introduced the NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT as a new video card option. Existing Mac Pro owners initially saw this is an opportunity to upgrade from current cards as well as ailing 1900XT cards. Apple, however, quickly clarified that the new NVIDIA 8800GT was only compatible with the new Penryn Mac Pros due to firmware issues. This left older Mac Pro owners without an upgrade option.

A January statement by NVIDIA suggested a fix was imminent...

the company is "in the middle of bringing out an upgrade kit based on the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT solution for all Intel-based Mac Pros." What's more, this upgrade kit "should be out in a few weeks."

... but three months later, there's been no news of the upgrade option.

A recent email response from Steve Jobs suggests that the upgrade is still coming, possibly in the next month:

nVidia didn't come through, so we're having to do it. Should be ready in about a month.

Steve

Steve Jobs has been known to occasionally respond to emails, the most prominent example being an email in which he revealed calendar editing functionality that later came to the iPod touch.

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[MacOSXuser]

Great, still waiting for the video card coming!

 

[MacBooksRock]

That sucks...

I always use ATI - not Nvidia

 

[samh004]

That response from Steve looks a little dodge, but time will tell.

 

[zeebe]

Anyone know what email address you use to send an email to Steve, not expecting a response, but would like to send one anyways.
Thanks

 

[Trip.Tucker]

ATI still produces better quality images.

 

[relimw]

About freakin' time. I haven't wanted to take my system down for the "average of 2-4 days" that my Apple peeps said would take them to turn it around. At least with the fans cranked, I can still get work done.

New card by WWDC?

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I'm skeptical, but Apple is aware of the problem so it isn't outside the realm of possibility.

 

[arkitect]

That response from Steve looks a little dodge, but time will tell.

Indeed it does…

nVidia didn't come through, so we're having to do it.

? Oh, please. Shifting the blame is a tad unprofessional. IMHO, of course.

 

[pederg]

Anyone know what email address you use to send an email to Steve, not expecting a response, but would like to send one anyways.
Thanks

steve@apple.com i think it was..

Lets hope apple get a move on with this

 

[KindredMAC]

Why does the Mac Pro feel like the red headed step child that got left behind at the store and the parents still haven't realized that he isn't sitting in the back seat next to iMac and MacBook Air on their way home?

 

[flopticalcube]

Just in time for the 9800X2 to be released for the PC.

 

[zeebe]

steve@apple.com i think it was..

Lets hope apple get a move on with this

Thanks pederg!! I thought it was sjobs@mac.com, but wasn't sure. Anyone know for sure??

 

[Infrared]

Why does the Mac Pro feel like the red headed step child that got left behind at the store and the parents still haven't realized that he isn't sitting in the back seat next to iMac and MacBook Air on their way home?

I imagine many of Apple's own staff use Mac Pros for development.
I wouldn't be too concerned about abandonment.

 

[supercooled]

Anyone know what email address you use to send an email to Steve, not expecting a response, but would like to send one anyways.
Thanks

Go play the lotto; same result.

 

[milo]

SLOW. Apple and nvidia need to get on the ball with this.

 

[ltcol266845]

Why is it still so complicated for Mac Pro owners to upgrade their video cards? Really, its pathetic that you all are still scrambling for an 8800GT, when the 9600GT is out which wipes the floor with the 8800GT at a much lower price point, not to mention the many many newer better faster cheaper cards that have come out.

Seriously, if this is what Apple does for their Mac Pro owners, I might have to look towards a hackintosh instead when I look to a Mac desktop.

 

[zeebe]

Go play the lotto; same result.

Boy, you sure are helpful!!!

 

[Aztech]

I couldn't be bothered to wait any more... im selling my current Mac Pro in favour of getting the new one...

Trading upto 8 cores and getting the 8800GT anyway, seems like a better idea !

 

[andrewgasson]

Thumbs up

His responses have always been in a pretty casual format.

I'd have to say it's likely genuine.

 

[eastcoastsurfer]

Why does the Mac Pro feel like the red headed step child that got left behind at the store and the parents still haven't realized that he isn't sitting in the back seat next to iMac and MacBook Air on their way home?

Because the overall market has moved towards laptops and/or internet devices. Apple doesn't want to be a computer company, but a 'device' company. Things like the iPhone/iTouch/MBA show you pretty clearly where they are headed in terms of product development.

 

[job]

I would love to be the guy that responds to the emails that are sent to Steve Jobs.

As pointed out, this isn't the first time that people have gotten replies, however fabricated, after emailing Steve Jobs directly. Is it really him? Who knows. Who cares. But the answers are usually legit. FWIW.

 

[arkitect]

I imagine many of Apple's own staff use Mac Pros for development.
I wouldn't be too concerned about abandonment.

True.
And they are also probably not reliant on 3D work… so their video cards are of secondary importance to them.

 

[Object-X]

Persistent Myths

And this little story should finally dispel the myth that a mid-range tower would allow for graphics upgrades. Every time I hear someone say they want a mid-range tower so they can upgrade the graphics, I think, upgrade to what? Not even Mac Pros have anything to "upgrade" too.

Flamer Disclaimer: For the record, I would pre-order a mid-range tower the day Apple announced it, but not because I could upgrade the graphics. The graphics would be better than a mini regardless of what came in it, it would have limited expandability, it would let me use my non-glossy display, and it wouldn't cost $3000!

 

[Rot'nApple]

That response from Steve looks a little dodge, but time will tell.

nVidia the NEW IBM with their "3Ghz" promise of GeForce 8800GT solution kit out in a "few weeks" that how now turned into a few months, hopefully not a few years.